Tempered Steel
by Zohh
Summary: “You have cuts on your wrists.” Her teacher said, examining them.


I would like to point out that the title of this story is indeed the title of a song. I don't remember who wrote the song, but we're playing- well, supposed to play- it in symphonic band. (I made some edits.)

* * *

"Mai, have you finished your story yet?" Ty Lee asked as they walked into their classroom at the Royal Academy for Girls. 

"Obviously, since it's due today." She replied.

"Well, I just figured you of all people would have had the most trouble with it." Ty Lee shrugged.  
"Why would you say that?" Mai asked, setting her books down on her desk.

"Because we were supposed to write about an object from our childhood."

"And I did. Though, I can hardly see how it relates to the Fire Nation. . ."

"It doesn't. And because of that, Father said he will have our teacher fired- unless of course, I get a good grade on it." Azula said, walking up next to them.

"Don't worry Azula, you're bound to!" Ty Lee smiled.

"Yes. That's why I wrote mine terribly. The calligraphy is all wrong, and I purposely misspelled a few words." Azula smirked.

"So you're trying to get our teacher fired?" Mai asked, skeptically raising an eyebrow.

"You could put like that, if you want to."

"Oh, guys," Ty Lee gestured to her friends, signaling to them that their teacher had walked into the room.

The entire class rose to their feet, curtsying. Their teacher gave a respectable nod, and they sat down.

"Please pass your stories forward. I shall grade them for calligraphy, spelling, and creativity."

"How are you supposed to be creative with a given prompt?" Mai muttered to Ty Lee as she passed her story to the girl in front of her.

"Maybe she's grading it on how creative you wrote your sleeping patterns."

Mai sighed, and stared blankly at her teacher, pretending to pay attention. She already knew everything, for she had finished reading all of the scrolls given to them at the beginning of the year.

"Now, take out your scrolls, while I grade your stories." The teacher instructed.

"Yes, she's definitely getting fired." Azula whispered, smiling.

Rolling her eyes, Mai opened one of her many scrolls, looking at it with meaningless eyes. She would have rather sit through a stiff Fire Nation, 'grown-up' ball than sit in class.

"Mai, could you come here for a minute," The teacher said quietly, gesturing for Mai to come her desk.

"Yes?" Mai said politely, wiping her bored expression from her face.

"I would like to talk to you about your story."

"Were there any spelling errors in it? I had a maid read over it."

"No. I'm concerned about the content in it. I think you may need to visit the academy's psychiatrist."

"Excuse me?" Mai replied, rather bluntly.

"Well, you say in your story that you used to sleep with daggers, and how you like to keep them hidden up your sleeves." Her teacher said, glancing through the parchment.

"I am training to become a Shurikan Specialist. I've been interested in stilettos since I was a child." Mai said, her face burning.

"If you do not wish to see the academy's psychiatrist, then kindly show me your wrists."

Mai huffed, rolling up the sleeves of her robes. Concealed in their straps were the stilettos that she trained with. She turned her head away from her teacher, dreading what would happen next.

"Remove them."

Doing as she was told, Mai undid the straps, setting the daggers down on the desk. If she hadn't been taught so well by her parents, she most likely would have broken down into tears.

"You have cuts on your wrists." Her teacher said, examining them.

"They are from the stilettos." Mai said, seething.

"And did you pierce your own skin the stilettos?"

"Are you saying, that I cut myself?" Mai asked curtly.

"Well, your skin is quite rough for a young lady, and seems to be scarred." The teacher responded.

Mai didn't know how to answer this. Her wrists were obviously scratched due to the daggers being held up her sleeves, among other things, but to think that she had cut herself was completely, and truthfully absurd.

"With all due respect, I would never do such damage to myself. Now, if you don't mind, I would really like to get back to re-reading my scrolls." Mai lied monotonously. She really had no intention to read something that has already been read. She also had damaged, purposely, the skin on her wrists. It hurt. So, obviously, she never did such thing again. Mai wasn't so idiotic as to do something that was painful.

Her teacher sat at her desk, looking completely befuddled as she grabbed the daggers at placed them back under the sleeves of her robes.

She swiftly turned around, walking hurriedly back to her desk.

As she sat down, Mai whispered to Azula, "Please, fire her."

"What did she want with you?" Azula asked, closing up her scrolls.

"Our teacher thinks that I am suicidal." Mai replied, causing Ty Lee to gasp.

"I shall tell father." The princess grinned, happy to get rid of their teacher.

"What did you do?" Ty Lee asked, her eyes wide.

"I removed my stilettos as she instructed me to, and because my wrists are scarred and scratched she assumed that I put them there. Not to mention that in my story I told of how I used to sleep with daggers."

"Well, I don't blame her for assuming." Ty Lee said quietly.

Mai glared at her, and she shrank down in her seat.

Their teacher cleared her throat, and stood up with a stack of unrolled parchment in her hand. She walked around the room, placing them down on the desk's of those who wrote it.

"I may have gotten high marks," Azula said, "but that still won't stop me from convincing father to get rid of her."

"You are dismissed."

Mai arose from her seat, never receiving her story. She didn't care though, for her father was rarely home to nag her about education, and her mother was, well, a complete twit in her opinion.

As everyone filed out of the room, Azula and Ty Lee waiting in the back for her, Mai motioned for them to go on with out her.

"I hope you do realize by now," Mai said to her teacher, "that I do not hurt myself with these stilettos."

Her teacher looked at her, setting down a scroll.

"I hurt others." Smirking, she flicked her right wrist- the more scarred one for it was her dominate hand- sending a dagger flying.

There was a shriek, and Mai strode out of the classroom.

"You should really do something about your temper." Ty Lee said. "It's bad for your aura. Soon, your purple-gray will turn to a red-black!"

Sighing, Mai visibly twirled a stiletto on her hand, causing her pink clad friend to stop.

* * *

Hmm, I don't know if I like how this turned out or not. The idea seemed so much better in my mind. . . Though, now that I added and changed some things, I think I like it a little better. 


End file.
